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Shuttered Lowell church turns to savior

LOWELL -- With every appeal exhausted, Tyngsboro resident David Dumais is floating a different idea to save the historic property that is home to the shuttered Ste. Jeanne D'Arc Church.

If the Archdiocese of Boston no longer wants it, Dumais says the church should be returned to the people.

Dumais envisions the former rectory and parishioners' hall as a home for the city's nonprofits and Pawtucketville community outreach events. He sees the church building, capitalizing on its French Canadian history, serving as a cultural center for fundraising events.

The plan, he points out, fits in line with the city's 2006 Pawtucketville Master Plan.

If no longer a place of worship, the building and grounds could still be a place in line with the true mission of the church.

But Dumais knows his dream won't come cheap.

"Right now the dream is to find someone with deep pockets," he said Saturday during a walk around the property. "Right now I want to find someone who says, 'Dave, I love your idea, I'd love to help.' "

Since the church shut its doors in 2004, Dumais said the property has been a target for vandals and squatters.

Claire Dumais, David's mother, said she's heard the pop-pop of paintball guns unloading rounds inside the building, which is across the street from her Fourth Avenue house.

Joseph Dumais, David's father, said he's heard about bonfires being lit in the alleyway running between the church and the parish hall.

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Problems with the property got so bad that a little more than a year ago the city installed a short barbed-wire fence to keep people out of the alleyway.

Roland Dumais, David's brother, calls the granite structure "a dinosaur," but added that he hopes it is never torn down. The fear in the neighborhood, according to David Dumais, is that the property is razed and developed into apartments.

"Parking is bad enough as it is," he said.

The church grounds are personal for the Dumais family. David Dumais said it's where his parents were married and it's also the place where he said goodbye to his younger brother, Paul.

It's been a year since Dumais had a full-time job. He's devoted his free time to crafting his proposal for the church. It's a document that's nearly an inch thick. Dumais has included copies of his correspondence with Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley's office, along with a trove of history.

The letters from Cardinal O'Malley's office were not positive. In an April 5 note, the Rev. Robert Kickham, O'Malley's secretary, wrote that "your good intentions, notwithstanding, we would not expect that it will be possible to provide the property for use as a Mission Outreach Center and appreciate your understanding."

In July, O'Malley announced the church was up for sale. The buyer will be able to use it for "profane uses," meaning the church can be sold and used for other purposes in line with Roman Catholic values.

Dumais is not deterred. The vision he has in mind fits squarely with those values.

He's coined his proposal "TJ's Mission," a name derived from the first-name initials of his two sons, Jacob, 15, and Tyler, 9. Dumais said his son Jacob was born with a form of autism. The family is highly involved with the local nonprofit called S.T.E.P., Inc., or Special Teams for Exceptional People. The organization is aimed at providing support and social activities for families that have members struggling with a disability.

Dumais said the 100-year-old Ste. Jeanne D'Arc property would be the ideal location for S.T.E.P., Inc., or any of the city's other nonprofits to set up shop.

There would be enough space for functions, lock-ins, sleepovers and other family events.

Pawtucketville resident Henri Marchand lives on Crawford Street, a few blocks away from the church. He said Saturday he hasn't read the entire proposal but added that "anything that provides hope for another neighborhood center is a good thing."

Since the church closed its doors, Marchand noted that "it's been dark" and what "once was a magnet for the community is now a magnet for vandalism and deterioration."

Dumais has knocked on neighborhood doors and said feedback has been highly positive.

The problem, Dumais said, has to do with money.

"What's lacking in Pawtucketville is a place that can serve as its core," he said. "The property is sitting there empty and nobody wants to see it torn down."

* 1910 through 2004, permanently closed as part of the Boston Archdiocesan reconfiguration of parishes.

The man:

* Pawtucketville native David Dumais, who grew up in a household just across the street from the church. His family has a rich history with the church and he'd like to see the vacant property be put to good use.

The plan:

* Convert the church into a performing-arts center, sponsoring cultural events while maintaining the history and spirit of its French Canadian heritage. Some of Dumais' other ideas include using part of the church as a Jack Kerouac museum. The space was built to hold a capacity of 750 people and occupies 16,258 square feet.

* The hall, which can handle a capacity of 600 and features seven bathrooms, is already handicapped-accessible and could be used as a soup kitchen or food pantry with minimal remodeling. Dances and other fundraising events could also be held there, according to Dumais.

* The rectory, which features six offices, nine bedrooms and seven full bathrooms, is "already an office building," Dumais said. Bedrooms could also be converted into office space for the city's nonprofit community.

* Storage includes eight rooms occupying 2,228 square feet. Multiple off-street parking lots, now being used for free by residents and visitors, would be more than enough to host different functions.

The challenge:

* Of course, the biggest hurdle is a financial one. Dumais said his goal in promoting the proposal is to attract potential donors. Once the property is up-and-running again, he's convinced it will sustain itself.

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